About Adopt-A-Highway

Become an Adopt-A-Highway (AAH) Group Today

…and join our 330+ groups working to beautify the Midlands!

Adopt-a-Highway is one of our most popular programs. It is operated with assistance from the SC Department of Transportation (DOT). Volunteer teams adopt a 2-mile section of a state-maintained roadway in Lexington or Richland counties, deemed safe for volunteer groups, for a minimum of two years and remove litter from their selected area at least four times each year. We provide all materials and SCDOT installs two signs on your roadway to recognize your group’s efforts. Many groups have worked with us for eight, fifteen, or even 30+ years!

How to Get Started

  1. Gather a group of two or more people.

    • Group leaders must be at least 18 and group members must be at least 13 years old.
  2. Select a two-mile section of state-maintained road to adopt from the lists below.

3. Have the Group Leader complete this approximately 15-minute self-paced, online Safety and Orientation Training.

  1. Complete this Agreement Form and return it to Keep the Midlands Beautiful…
    • by email to programs@kmbsc.org
    • by mail to KMB, 1305 Augusta Rd., West Columbia, SC 29169
  1. Watch your email (and spam folder) for approval which typically takes one to two weeks.
  2. Encourage all of your group members to sign up for our electronic newsletter submitted every other month by
  3. We will ask SCDOT to install your group’s signs after you have submitted two report cards.

Program Requirements

  1. Remove litter from your adopted roadway at least FOUR times each year.
  2. Submit this Report Card after each litter cleanup. This helps to ensure that we continue to receive crucial funding so that we can continue to provide litter removal supplies at no charge for over 6,000 volunteers each year.

How to Participate

  1. Choose your dates.
    • If you conduct cleanups on the four weekends designated by us, the orange bags and bulk items you collect will be removed from the roadside by SCDOT.

      • 2025 Designated Dates:
        • February 8
        • May 17
        • August 16
        • November 15
      • See the designated weekends for 2026 and 2027 on the Upcoming Events page.
    • If you choose to conduct cleanups on different dates, your group is responsible for properly disposing of the litter you collect.
  2. Request supplies.
    • Submit requests at least one week in advance using this Supply Request Form. KMB provides litter grabbers, safety vests, cloth gloves, orange trash bags, blue bags for recyclables, and safety signs at no cost. However, you may be charged for the cost of supplies not returned.
  3. Pick up supplies from our office.
    • Supply kits are labeled with your group name and are placed on our porch at 1305 Augusta Rd., West Columbia, SC 29169. Pick them up 24-hours a day.
    • Our office is a small, red brick house converted into an office with a driveway that goes around the building. Please do not block the driveway. Park to the side of the brick driveway or in the backyard.
    • Supplies may also be purchased from KMB at cost and additional large quantities of free bags may be requested as needed.
    • Orange trash bags may also be picked up from

  4. Conduct your litter pick-up.
    • ALL participants must sign a waiver one time prior to participating in a cleanup (i.e. not prior to every cleanup). Return all waivers to KMB.
    • Review safety procedures prior to every cleanup using the tip sheet provided with your supplies.
  5. Email photos of your group (faces, group photos, and people in front of your sign are best) to programs@kmbsc.org if we can use them.
  6. Submit a short report card after each pick-up to document the number of volunteers, hours spent and the number of bags collected. The Report Card is required in return for use of our free supplies and helps to ensure that we receive crucial funding.
  7. Return all supplies to the KMB office porch within one week of each pick-up so that they may be used by other groups for one-time cleanups. Separate clean from dirty items and be sure everything is still labeled with your group name.

Common Questions & Answers

  1. Is there a fee?
    • There is no cost to participate. We use grant funds and donations to provide all materials for free. All we require in return is that you complete a short Report Card so that we can show that we’re using funds wisely.
    • Donations are not required but are very appreciated. Donate here or mail checks to our office.
  2. How and when will our sign be installed?
    • After your group has completed two litter cleanups, and has submitted report cards for both, we will submit a request to have your sign installed. It may take a few weeks for the DOT crew to install them on either end of your roadway.
  3. Is there a minimum age requirement?
    • Yes. Adopt-A-Highway Group Leaders must be at least 18 years ago.
    • Adopt-A-Highway participants must be at least 13 and under the constant supervision of someone 18 or over.